Treasured Memories
by Syth-sama
Summary: A story in which everyone's memories of Kirito in Sword Art Online disappear in exchange for his and Asuna's life . This story will focus mainly on Kirigaya Kazuto and Asuna , as students , in the school for the game's victims . (This story will feature an overpowered/popular Kazuto and the well-known characters from Sword Art Online appear . Kirito x Asuna / Kirisuna , obviously.)
1. Prologue

**Taisetsu na Kiyoku**

(Treasured memories)

* * *

**PROLOGUE**

After 2 years trapped inside the death game created by Kayaba Akihiko , also known as Commander Heathcliff of the Knights of the Blood Oath , all 6,147 remaining players have successfully logged out , as the game has been cleared . Asuna was struck by the Commander in order to save her loved one and Kirito managed to land a killing blow on Kayaba , giving up his life in the process .

However , the commander himself is quite fond of the duo , who managed to surpass this game's limits out of their willpower to save and avenge each other . So , while the couple is cuddled up in the sky above Aincrad , ready to disappear , Kayaba appears and offers Kirito a deal he just can't refuse . In exchange for everyone's memories of the Black Swordsman in the world of Sword Art Online , he will spare his life and , most importantly , Asuna's .

**KIRITO POV**

_''Kirito-kun , don't , I beg you . I told you before , I don't want the time we spent here to disappear , no matter what.'' _

_I'm so sorry Asuna . But you're too important to me . I can't let this stop me from a chance to save your life._

_''Kayaba , you promise that if you erase everyone's memories of me , Asuna will be unharmed ?''_

_''Indeed , she will wake up in her hospital bed along with the other _6,145 players and yourself .''

''_KIRITO-KUN , STOP . I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A WORLD THAT YOU'RE NOT A PART OF.''_

_''I'm sorry Asuna .. I swear , I will find you in the real world somehow no matter what it takes.''_

_''YOU DON'T KNOW THAT . YOU MAY NEVER EVEN MEET ME AND EVEN IF YOU DO , YOU WON'T REMEMBER ME AND NEITHER WILL I!''_

_''Asuna , I'm so sorry but I don't know what else to do .. I won't let you die here , I told you I would take you back to the real world . I promise I will fall in love with you all over again , on the other side . Trust me , please.''_

I wipe the tears off her eyes and take a deep breath.

_''Do it , Kayaba.''_

In an instant , the castle of Aincrad completely disappears and everything around me is surrounded by darkness .

Suddenly , I wake up in a hospital bed . I see cables all around me and a tracking of my lifeline on a screen . _Why the hell am I here ? _

I stand up , and a vision of a chestnut-haired girl appears in my brain . _Who is that ? _As I try to remember , my head keeps spinning and I'm pretty sure this is the worst headache I've had in my life . Unable to handle the pain in my brain , I fall to my knees and let out a loud yell . A nurse comes in a few seconds later .

''ΚIRIGAYA-KUN HAS WOKEN UP ! Contact his family as soon as possible.''

I'm instantly surrounded by doctors and after a bunch of questions I definitely didn't know the answers to such as '_What happened' or '__How are you feeling'_ , my family comes in . My aunt , Midori , and my cousin Suguha enter and hug me as they burst into tears.

''Kazuto , I'm so glad you're okay . Welcome back.'' They both say practically in unison as they're both sobbing .

I'm unsure of where I had been , but answer anyway .

''Glad to be back , Mom , Sugu.''

* * *

**A/N : As mentioned in the summary , this will be a story about Kirito's and Asuna's life in highschool with a twist in that they don't remember what happened in SAO , yet ;) .**

**This is only the prologue to help you understand what happened beforehand . Alfheim has obviously not happened and it will not happen . It's a pretty bad arc and it needs too many renovations to be good and I think it's better off not existing .**

**The main SAO characters will appear in this story , and , as a quick side-note for the people who might not remember , Kazuto calls Midori (his aunt) Mom because he hasn't told her he has figured out that she is actually his Aunt and that Sugu is his cousin .**

**This might be a ''highschool story'' , but I'm pretty sure I'll write something about them going in some type of virtual world . -Syth**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N : I'd like to start by saying that this story will definitely have a lot of Kirito/Asuna fluff in the following chapters . Best anime pairing !**

* * *

**CHAPTER 1**

**KIRIGAYA KAZUTO POV**

Alright , let me catch you up to speed . Apparently , me and another 9,999 people were trapped inside the VRMMORPG , Sword Art Online . Yet I don't remember a single thing . To make matters even worse , I'm apparently the only one that doesn't .

Another 6,146 people managed to survive this game , where death inside it meant death in the real world , and they all have some form of memory of what happened to them inside the game , either somewhat blurry or clear . I remember putting on the Nervegear two years ago , but I can't seem to recall anything about what happened inside the game itself .

Every time I try to remember something , my head aches like hell . The worst part is that I've got this lingering pain in my chest , that I'm forgetting something , _or_ _someone , _extremely important .

Before being trapped in the game , I was doing kendo with my cousin , Sugu , and the year I put the Nervegear on , I had just won the japanese Nationals in kendo . It was a big deal for seemingly everyone , except myself .

Kendo was something my strict grandfather had passed onto me , not a passion of mine to be honest . But I was good at it , so I figured why not keep going . The weirdest part was , after the game , I had gotten even better . My reactions were faster , sharper . My posture better , firmer . Yet something felt off in my posture , like it had altered drastically . But it felt better that way , smoother . And the results showed .

My cousin , she was almost as good as me before I was trapped inside the death game , but now there was somewhat a clear difference in skill in my favor , despite not having practiced for so long . Talk about unexpected . I had done rehab for a few months now and my body was finally in perfect shape.

Most SAO victims had already started attending school normally , but I wasn't . My body had sustained more damage then what was normally the case , as if I had died and came back to life , and I've missed 2 months of lessons thus far . I've studied on my own though , and today I'm taking the entrance exams for the school . I've been told it's not particularly hard , although that's to be expected because the game's victims had two entire years of catching up to do .

I put my Shinai down _(wooden sword for practicing kendo) _and put my school uniform on . Entrance exams , here I come .

**ASUNA POV**

It's been two months since I've started attending school for SAO's victims . I've been doing rehab ever since I've woken up , and I'm finally able to attend P.E classes normally . To be honest , these past two months have been pretty lonely for some reason . I've finally returned to my family and despite how strict they may be , I couldn't ever deny how much I missed them , living in the games for two entire years and all .

I've also got my friends from SAO with me , namely Lisbeth _(AKA Shinozaki Rika)_ , Silica-chan _(AKA Ayano Keiko)_ . We've got some older friends from the game too as in Klein-san _(AKA Tsuboi Ryoutarou)_ and Agil-san_ (AKA Andrew Mills)_ , although we aren't able to hang out too often . We're students and both of them do have full-time jobs after all .

But despite the friends I made in the game , there's this feeling I can't quite put my hand on , this hole in my chest that's void and can't be filled . I've shaken it off so far as paranoia due to the death game we had been in for so long . I consulted our school counselors , who function more as therapists in this school because of the horrible experience the students have been put through , and they agreed paranoia was a highly probable scenario .

''Neh , Asuna'' My thoughts are stopped by a certain brunette poking my cheek , who also happens to be my best friend , Rika .

''What is it , Lis ?''

''Did you know there's a new student coming to our school this week?''

''No , how come?''

''Apparently his body's condition was worse than normal and had to wait a little while longer to attend . He's a year younger than us , but apparently he's _really_ good-looking . In fact you may have seen him before .''

''How so?''

''He won Nationals 2 and a half years ago in Kendo , his name was , if I recall correctly , Kirigaya Kazuto.''

''Can't say I've heard that name before . Not much of a kendo fan to be honest.''

''You have no interest in any guy , as per usual , Asuna . You sure you're straight?'' Rika says with a familiar smirk .

**THIRD-PERSON POV**

Asuna's eyes go wide and her cheeks are flushed .

''YES I'M STRAIGHT LIS , STOP SAYING EMBARRASSING THINGS ALL THE TIME!'' She says , cheeks still red .

''I'm sorry , I'm sorry , it's just so fun to tease you Asuna'' Says Lis , having burst out laughing from her best friend's reaction .

''Mohh , Lis !''

''Although it is weird that you are not interested in guys Asuna . A bunch of male students here practically worship you but you never give them the time of day!''

''I'm just not interested in any of them .. What am I supposed to do? I don't even know most of their names ..''

''Mhm , little Asuna is waiting for her prince charming , her first romance!'' says Lis , trying to provoke a reaction out of her .

What Lis doesn't know is that Asuna thinks she _already has_ experienced her first romance , but just can't bring herself to remember . This weird feeling in her chest every time she tries to remember , but can't seem to be able to .

''Neh , Lis . What do you think of the Discipline Committee ?'' Asuna says changing the subject , as their previous conversation has a lot of students turned to face them , interested in their topic , making Asuna quite uncomfortable .

''Mm , I think it's necessary in this school to be honest.''

The Discipline Committee is a committee made up of the most physically capable students who attend this school . Because of the overwhelming amount of ''Red players'' in the game itself , people who voluntarily PK'd others , knowing full well that they die in real life too , an idea of a Discipline Committee was proposed and acknowledged in this school .

Some red players are bound to be attending this school , as most of them wore masks or didn't reveal their face inside the game , and obviously didn't admit to being red players when asked in real life , because there'd be consequences . Therefore , 'red players' , violent people , may be attending this school .

The Discipline Committee is tasked with protecting order in this school and punishing students who resort to violence . Of course , this isn't limited to red players , but they were what you would call the 'incentive' for the creation of said committee .

''Why , Asuna , are you thinking of applying?'' Lis asked curiously .

''Mmm , I don't really think so . You need to be pretty strong to be a part of the Discipline Committee , you know . I'm pretty sure they only accept martial arts users or other well-trained people , and of course your record has to be completely clean too . No criminal acts either . NOT that I have any or anything .'' Asuna added a bit loudly , a little bit worried by her phrasing .

''Of course I know that Asuna , hahaha'' Lis laughing out loud at how easy it was for her chestnut-haired friend to get embarassed .

''Moh , let's go eat lunch with Silica-chan already . Lunch break is gonna end soon.''

''Fine..'' says Lis , running out of the classroom .

As soon as they pick up Keiko from her classroom , the three girls hear what seemed like cat whistles and loud whispers in the main hallway .

_'That boy is pretty cute , right ?'_

_'I know , who is he?'_

_'Which class is he in?'_

_'Do you think he's available'?_

As soon as Asuna and her two friends step into the hallway , a certain raven-haired boy appears a few meters in front of them . The boy has his eyes closed and his right hand in the back of his neck , sighing , quite obviously a little troubled by the attention he's getting . Asuna looks up at the boy , whose eyes are now open and , _dare she say it , _now glued to her own eyes . Asuna's eyes are wide and as he passes by them , they both continue looking at each other for another second or two , cheeks slightly painted by a tint of red . The boy finally turns around to start looking in front of him and Asuna stares for another second at his back , thinking .

_'Who is that ? What is this feeling in my chest , this weird , nostalgic feeling'_ Asuna thinks to herself_ ._

Her thoughts are quickly cut off by a fangirling Lisbeth and Silica who are ogling the boy that just passed them .

''Who was that just now , Asuna?'' Asuna turns around and is met with a Rika with wide-eyes and a smile which reached all the way to her cheeks .

''He was so cute ! And I'm pretty sure he was looking this way , right?'' joins Keiko whose cheeks were a little flushed .

''I-I don't know who he is ..'' answered Asuna , blushing *very* hard at this point . _Or why he was looking at .. me ._

''Wait a second , could that be the new student I was telling you about ? Kirigaya Kazuto , his name was , right?'' says Liz .

''K-Kirigaya Kazuto !? The kendo Nationals winner is gonna be a student at our school ?'' asks Silica , stunned by the revelation .

''T-that could be him , who knows'' says Asuna , trying not to sound too interested , with her heart slightly fluttering , even though she would never admit it to her friends .

_'Kirigaya Kazuto-kun , huh?'_ Asuna wonders to herself , butterflies erupting in her stomach .

**KIRAGAYA KAZUTO POV**

_'Who was that girl?' _I think to myself as I continue walking down the hallway . That chestnut-colored hair , those hazel eyes that I couldn't get my eyes off of , those eyes that looked all too familiar for having just seen them for the first time . A flashback appears in my head of a chestnut-haired girl in front of a lake but I immediately start having a headache , unable to continue thinking about it .

_'What is this feeling in my chest right now ? This urging feeling to go and touch her'_ I mentally slap myself as soon as I think that .

_'Pull yourself together Kazuto ! You've never even met the girl before , what creepy things are you thinking about!' _and with that I try to stop thinking about it as I head outside of the school .

**2 HOURS LATER**

I had just finished taking the entrance exams , which , admittedly , were a little _way too easy _, and heading back home . Now all I had to do was wait till tomorrow to see if I was accepted and which class I'd be assigned to .

To be honest , the attention today was a little overwhelming , and I'm not really good with people , so I'm already feeling quite drained despite it being my first , although unofficial , day in school . After all , I was in a sensei's office taking the exams the majority of the time and didn't really talk to anyone other than a really nice teacher named Aki Natsuki . She was a funny person , could tell that I'd have fun if she were my homeroom teacher .

She told me about the Discipline Committee , and it did indeed sound really interesting . I could be of use , protect _someone_ from harm's way with the authority granted by the school itself .

My mind starts racing back to the chestnut-haired girl I saw this morning , with a familiar pain in my chest .

_'Just who are you?'_

* * *

**A/N : Hope you enjoyed the first chapter . This is my first fanfiction ever and I'm having quite some fun writing this so far .**

**The idea of a Discipline Committee was heavily influenced by Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei (The Irregular at Magic High School) so it's somewhat similar . Of course there's no magic involved , but overall they have the same purpose . **

**As for Aki Natsuki , she's the nurse that takes care of Kirito in the anime , but she's a teacher in this story . Makes imagining her a little easier . -Syth**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N : I've been making some edits to the previous chapters , so that they're easier and more pleasant to read . Nothing changed drastically in the story of course . I mentioned that this is my first fanfiction ever , s****o it's a little hard for me to get everything right . I'll be making a few edits here and there and be notifying you as much as possible . So , bear with me you lovely people .**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**KIRIGAYA KAZUTO POV**

''Onii-chan , wake up already!''

''Give me five more minutes'' I say groggily as I turn around to shove my face in my pillow .

''Today is your first day at school , don't blame me if you are late!'' says Sugu as she starts running down the stairs .

I get up from my bed , unfortunately . I take a quick shower and brush my teeth as I head down to the kitchen , where I'm greeted by my aunt Midori .

''Good morning , Kazuto . You ready for your first day at school after so long?''

''Good morning . Well , I have to admit I'm really nervous but yes , I guess I am . As weird as it sounds , I've missed going to school .''

With how weird these past few months have been , and how I've still not managed to remember anything from when I was trapped inside the death game , a normal activity like going to school seems rather appealing . _Plus , I would really like to see a certain person again ._

I finish my breakfast quick and head out the door .

''I'm off , Mom , see you after school .''

''Take care , Kazuto!''

I make my way to school on foot , as I'm still waiting a little while longer for a permit to drive my bike . After a little walking , I arrive at school . I had been told to go to the principal's office after taking my exams , where they would let me know which class I'd be assigned to .

Thankfully I don't have to go through the main hallway to get there , saves me from a bit of attention . I pass by a few empty classrooms since I had been to school quite early and I'm met with a door with a 'PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE' sign on it . I gulp and open the door which seemed oh so intimidating . I'm greeted by a man who seemed to be in his early 30's .

''Good morning . I presume you are Kirigaya Kazuto-kun ?''

''That would be me sir.''

''Alright , you've been assigned to Class 3-B . Your homeroom teacher is Natsuki Aki-sensei , who I believe you've already met .''

I'm then greeted by a familiar pretty woman with braided hair and glasses .

''Yahoo _(somewhat cute way of saying Hello in Japanese)_ , Kirigaya-kun ! I look forward to working with you this year.'' Aki-sensei greets me and starts bowing respectfully .

''Likewise , Aki-sensei.'' I bow my head down as well. ''Wait a second , did you just say Class **_3_**-B ? There has to be a mistake , I'm only in my second year ?'' Only just having realized what the principal has said to me .

''Oh , right . Apparently your entrance exams' results were _very _good . You've been moved up a year as a result of them . I highly doubt it , but if you feel like you are unable to follow the rest of the class , you are welcome to come talk to me about it and you will be moved a year down .''

_I knew I did well on the entrance exams , but was I really good enough to skip a year ?_

''I forgot to introduce myself . My name is Kikuoka Seijurou .'' the 30 year-old man said . ''There's actually something I'd like to request of you , Kirigaya-kun .''

''What would that be?'' I say , somewhat worried about where this was going .

''I would like you to be a part of the Discipline Committee .'' He says , with a smirk on his face .

''If you don't mind me asking , why , sir ?'' I ask , surprised by his request .

''Well , I've been told you're a master at kendo and that your physical abilities are quite impressive . The Committee would definitely welcome someone with your set of skills. You see , I'm quite worried about violent activity in this school . I know it could be a dangerous job , but I'd love for you to at least consider it .''

''I see .. Could you give me some time to think about it , perhaps ?'' I ask , not sure whether joining is a good idea or not . To be honest , I was quite interested in joining beforehand but I do have some reservations because of the dangers it may pose . I wouldn't want to worry my family any more than I already have .

''Of course . Now , let Aki-sensei lead you to your classroom . I'll be expecting your answer sooner or later .''

And with that , me and Aki-sensei walk out of the Principal's office and start heading towards my classroom . We pass the main hallway , but luckily for me the majority of students are already sat in their classrooms . Aki-sensei stops as we've reached a class with the sign 'Class 3-B' on top of the door and Aki-sensei starts slowly opening it .

I can already hear people talking and I'm starting to get a little nervous .

''Quiet down , class . There's a new student joining us today.'' Aki-sensei says .

_'Who could that be?'_

_'A transfer student this time of the year?'_

''For anyone wondering , he's not a transfer student . He simply couldn't attend school due to personal health reasons for a while . Come in , introduce yourself .''

I gulp and start walking inside the classroom . God this is nerve-wracking . I muster up all the courage I have and speak .

''Nice to meet you everyone , my name is Kirigaya Kazuto . I look forward to working with you this year .'' I bow my head down , as a sign of respect but also because I couldn't really bring myself to face anyone .

_'H-he's so cute!'_

_'You have to admit , he is'_

_'Stop drooling will you'_

''I'm sorry if I'm mistaken sensei , but isn't he one year younger than us?'' asks a brunette , now standing up from her seat .

''Indeed he is , Rika-san , but his grades are good enough for him to be able to skip a year .'' exclaims Aki-sensei .

_'Wow'_

_'Smart too?'_

I sweat-drop , a little intimidated by the attention .

''Ok , Kirigaya-kun , feel free to take the empty seat in the back of the classroom.'' Aki-sensei says as I look at her .

My eyes search for the empty seat and when my eyes finally find it , that's when I see _her _. Sitting in the back of the classroom by the window , hand on her chin looking at me curiously .

_That chestnut-haired girl from yesterday is in my class ._

I walk quite quickly towards my seat and I try not to look at her , stealing a few glances on my way there , and I could've sworn her cheeks were slightly red . She was _really _cute .

_Don't be a creep now , Kazuto .. _I think to myself .

I sit down on the only empty seat , which happens to be exactly one seat to the right of her .

''Yuuki-san , since you're the class representative , would you mind showing Kirigaya-kun around school grounds during lunch break ? I'm sure he would appreciate it .'' says Aki-sensei .

My eyes look for the person named Yuuki .

''Of course , that wouldn't be a problem.''

I look to my left , realizing that the person that responded to the teacher was the hazel-eyed girl I had been trying not to stare at .

She turns 90 degrees to her right to face me . My gaze is locked on her .

''P-Pleasure to meet you Kirigaya Kazuto-kun . My name is Yuuki Asuna . I look forward to working with you this year .'' She says with what I would swear was a blush , as she extends her hand towards me , gesturing she wants to shake hands .

I immediately extend my palm and shake her hand and I swear I could feel my entire body heat up .

''The pleasure's all mine , Yuuki-san .'' I say , my cheeks showing a hint of red that I assume she caught onto , as we both take our textbooks out and start paying attention to class.

**ASUNA POV**

_G-god I was so nervous ! Ever since he walked in to introduce himself my cheeks have turned red .. What is going on with me !? _

_Did he realize I was staring at him ? With how much I was blushing , I was probably being too obvious .. This is so embarrassing !_

_Pay attention to class , pay attention to class !_

''Mhm , what's this , Asuna ? Are you really looking forward to giving _someone_ a tour?'' whispers my best friend , Lis , who sits in front of me and had now turned around to shoot me a questioning look with a grin on her face .

''N-not particularly'' I whisper back , my red cheeks kind of giving my lie away .

''Your stuttering isn't really helping your case . Your cheeks are being honest too'' she says with a wide grin , trying to hold herself back from laughing out loud in class , loving this opportunity to humiliate me .

''P-probably just your imagination'' I hiss back , my tsun side taking over , surprising both Lis and I .

''If you say so'' she says , smiling , knowing fully well I wasn't being honest .

Well , I am thankful she won't tease me any further . I start paying attention to Aki-sensei's lesson , while I mentally prepare myself for what's to come . _I really hope I'm not a nervous mess while I show him around school ._

Half an hour or so goes by , and the bell finally rings .

However , as soon as the bell rang , pretty much all my classmates start assaulting Kirigaya-kun with a ton of questions .

_'Neh , Kazuto-kun , do you perhaps have a girlfriend?'_

_'Man , do you think you could teach me kendo sometime ? I saw a video of you bro , you were amazing!'_

_'Would you like to hang out and eat with us?'_

_'Wanna go for karaoke together after school? You're really cute!'_

Wow , I guess being the new student really is hard . I stand up and take a look at his expression while he is trying his best to answer each question . He seems quite troubled with the attention he's receiving .

''Hey guys , I'm sorry to interrupt , but Aki-sensei asked me to show him around school'' I say , rather loudly , as they all stop to look at me . ''So , if you don't mind , I'll be borrowing him.'' I say , as I grab his wrist and drag him away from the classroom .

When we're outside , I stop and look back at him . I look at my hand which is gripped hard around his wrist and , only just realizing what I was doing , let go of his wrist quite quickly , as I blush profusely , my cheeks now completely red . I look up at him and he speaks .

''Thanks for that . Being the new student is more nerve-wracking than I initially thought .'' He states , as he gives me an appreciative smile that , quite honestly , melted me .

''D-don't mention it . Anyone would do the same'' I say , smiling back , now blushing even more .

''Not anyone .. In any case , I appreciate it a lot .'' He says , now slightly blushing , and now running a hand through his hair . ''N-now , shall we get started with the school tour?'' He continues .

''Yes , of course .'' I answer , as I start showing him around .

We go through where each class is , the nurse's office , the principal's office and so on . I take him outside the school building , as I show him where the school gymnasium and the pool are , which is where P.E classes take place . And with that , the school tour comes to an end .

''Thank you so much , Yuuki-san . I'm sorry for taking up your time . You're very kind .'' He says , softly , as he bows his head down .

I can't keep the heat from rising to my cheeks and I can't help but instantly blush .

''Don't worry about it . We still have little bit of time left to eat .'' I state , as I point to the nearest bench . ''S-shall we ?'' I ask , blushing profusely , realizing I was just asking him to eat lunch with me , _the two of us _.

''Of course'' He says .

We sit down and I take my bento out of my bag and set it on the table and he does the same . _Jeez , stop being so nervous !_

''Itadakimasu'' we say in unison and start digging in . **_(Japanese for ''Thanks for the food'' in a mealtime setting)_**

During our meal , we make all sorts of small talk . I ask him how he felt about this school , and how the entrance exams must have been really easy for him since he skipped a year . He told me he honestly didn't expect it , but he had indeed studied hard for the exams .

I do pretty well academically myself , so I could relate with the fact that this school wasn't rather difficult . Coincidentally , we both wanted to apply for Tokyo University , though it was a little hard to get into .

He asked why I wanted that particular university , and I honestly answered that it was because of my strict parents , not so much an ambition of mine . He was surprised , but he knew what it was like , because kendo was something he did because of his strict grandfather .

Then I asked him something that was bugging me , something I normally would never ask , but I couldn't help myself for some weird reason ..

''What was the experience of being trapped inside the game like , to you?'' As soon as those words left my mouth , I instantly regretted my decision and put my hands over my mouth . It was bad etiquette to talk about the death game after all , especially in this school .

He looked at me , startled and somewhat .. _sad _. ''Oh my god , that was really rude of me . You don't have to answer , I don't know what came over me''

''No , it's fine , no need to apologize'' He said , forcing a smile . ''Actually , I don't really remember what happened to me in the game . I've tried remembering , but I can't seem to be able to . Every time I do , my head just _refuses_ to let me remember'' He says .

_Wait a second , didn't I have a similar experience recently ?_

My thoughts are stopped as he speaks .

''Maybe I was too much of a coward and forced myself to forget because of how horrifying the experience might have been'' He says , expressionless , now looking down .

I cup his cheek with my hand .

''The very fact that you're telling this to me despite having just met me proves to me you're no coward , that you can face your demons head-on'' I say sincerely , locking my eyes in his .

I blush furiously as I realize how bold I had been and what I had just done , and instantly removed my hand from his cheek and let it rest on the bench . _Great , he must think I'm such a weirdo ._

''Thank you'' He says , as he smiles the most sincere smile I have ever seen . ''You really are kind'' he continues , putting his hand over mine , making me even more flustered than I already was .

''You're welcome anytime'' I say , as a smile crept its way across my face well , our gazes locked on each other's eyes and our faces slowly inching slightly closer .

_Brrrrrrrrring ._ The sound of the school bell signals the end of lunch break and I yelp , as we both look away from one another for a few seconds . Next up was P.E so we each had to head to our respective locker rooms to change into our gym uniforms .

''W-well , I guess I'll see you in the next class then , Yuuki-san ?'' Kirigaya-kun says , slightly embarrassed , with a hand on the back of his neck .

''Asuna'' I say matter-of-factly , visibly confusing him .

''Eh?''

''D-don't call me Yuuki-san . I prefer being called by my first name . Just 'Asuna' .'' I say , trying to sound as confident as possible .

''R-roger that.'' He says , shooting an irresistible smile at me . ''So , I'll see you later , _Asuna_ ?'' He asks , his voice low and husky , as my name rolls off his tongue .

''Mhm!'' I nod rather loudly , with a smile on my face , feeling weirdly satisfied .

Somehow , the way he said my name made me weak in the knees . Our interaction was beyond strange . Despite only having just met him , there was an undeniable connection between us . I could just .. _feel _it .

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**A/N : Hope you enjoyed Chapter 2 !**

**I kept revising this chapter a lot , but I think I'm satisfied with how it turned out . I had so many different ideas it was hard to decide ..**

**Also , I'd really appreciate if you let me know whether you prefer Kirito / Asuna POV or third-person POV in a review . I'm currently experimenting with both .**

**Till next time ! -Syth**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N : Sorry for any grammar mistakes/omissions in the previous chapters . Apparently I'm really bad at proof-reading and , well , English isn't my first language either . I'll be doing my best to fix all of them though :)**

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**Chapter 3**

**ASUNA POV**

I make my way to the girls' locker room to change into my P.E outfit while daydreaming about the new boy , _Kirigaya Kazuto_ .

I've never felt this way before . Why does my mind keep racing back to some random guy I just met ?

I mean , sure , he was admittedly ok-looking . Alright , maybe a bit more than that , but still . I've seen good-looking dudes before and I haven't felt _anything _. So what is it about him that makes me nervous around him ? Why does he make my heart skip a beat ?

_Maybe he's not so random .._

This is awful ... I'm gonna become one of those many girls that has a hopeless , unrequited crush- _w__oah hold up there Asuna ! Crush !? You've only just met !_

''Earth to Asuna?'' my thoughts are stopped by my best friend Lis flicking my arm .

''W-what's up Lis?'' I say , flustered as I had been caught daydreaming .

''How was showing the new _hottie _around school ? Anything happen ?'' she asks with a wicked grin on her face .

My mind instantly starts racing back to the moment he was holding my hand and I was lost in his eyes , making my entire face turn bright red .

''N-n-not anything notable ? Why do you ask ?'' I say , obviously flustered .

''Is that so ? Because you seem quite distracted'' she says with a wide toothy smile , easily seeing through me . She was holding back her laughter . I swear the teasing never stops with her around ...

''I-I'm not , drop it Lis'' I say , trying to sound as annoyed as possible , but my blush still evident in my cheeks .

''Hmm , fine , I guess I'll let you off the hook for now'' she winks , basically letting me know she's going to tease me sooner or later .

We make our way towards our assembly where we are met with the guys in our class who've also changed into their gym wear .

My eyes search for Kirigaya-kun and when I spot him , I see him talking with two girls , who I assume are underclassmen since I don't know them . I'm guessing he's entertaining them quite a bit since they are giggling , _a lot _. One of them is wrapped around his arm . He's sporting the same perfect smile he always is . For some reason , my heart sinks . I didn't like seeing that .

''Oi , Yuuki , wanna join us girls for some basketball ? We're missing one player!''

Perfect , a chance to blow off some steam .

''Coming!''

I head to the basketball court inside the gym .

I'm feeling really frustrated right now . I'm going to play super aggressive this game and I don't even think any of the girls in my class are in the basketball club . I'm definitely winning this .

It's half a minute till the end of the match and I'm by far the top scorer on our team . Despite that , we're still tied because one of the girls on the opposing team was better than I thought . The ball is in our possession though . I run down the court , pass through four of the girls on the opposing team when I'm met with their best player . I'm in a bad position so I pass the ball to Lis , who is free to shoot . She does but misses .

I'm further away from the hoop and the rebound seems impossible . But I'm kind of mad . I jump and collide with the girl , managing to barely grab the ball in time , but lose my balance in the process .

On my descent , I twist my ankle and drop to the floor . I wince in pain . I open my eyes and the girl that jumped for the ball has lost her balance too .

_Damn it , _I can't dodge out of the way because of my ankle !

A soon as she crashes into me , a loud _thump _is heard across the gym and the back of my head hits the floor . _God that hurts ._ I can barely keep my eyes open . Everything around me is blurry and I think I'm slowly losing consciousness .

_'Oh my god , I'm so sorry , Yuuki-san , are you okay!?'_

_'Asuna!'_

_'Where is Kiyoshi-sensei ? We need to get her to the nurse's office immediately !'_

I can hear some faint voices but I'm in no state to be able to get up . A few minutes later , I can feel myself being carried , but when I open my eyes my vision is too foggy and I can't help but lose consciousness .

**KIRIGAYA KAZUTO POV**

I was spacing out the entire day today so I thought going for a run during P.E was more than appropriate . I needed to clear my head . I couldn't get my mind off of the chestnut-haired girl that showed me around this morning .

It's not like I have a lot of experience with girls or anything but I could tell the effect she had on me was unique . I mean , I've never gotten nervous just from being around a girl before and I usually have no trouble talking to one . My mind was constantly racing back to our lunch today .

I'm usually pretty cautious of people I don't know , but I told her a lot about myself in a matter of minutes . I even told her that I have no memories of the time I was trapped in SAO , something I've only entrusted to my aunt and Sugu . She just seemed so apologetic when asking me about it , I wouldn't want to make her feel bad .

It felt like all my walls were breaking down around her .

_I wonder where she is .._

I've been running for a while so I excuse myself to catch a break . I aimlessly wonder around while I'm in thought but I hear loud voices coming from the gym and decide to check it out .

Once I'm inside , I see Asuna collapsed on the ground . I panic and start running towards the crowd surrounding her .

''What the hell happened ? Is she okay?'' I shout as I approach .

''There was an accident , she hit her head .. I'm not sure if she's okay . Kirigaya-kun , do you know where Kiyoshi-sensei is?'' asks a girl from my class .

''No , I don't , why?'' I answer quickly .

''She's probably unconscious , we need to someone get her to the nurse's office as soon as possible!'' another girls says .

I walk up to Asuna and kneel beside her swiftly .

''You're gonna be okay , Asuna''

I put one of my hands under her back and one under her legs and pick her up bridal-style . I can feel her trying to stay conscious .

''Stay with me , alright?'' I say , trying to be as reassuring as possible , although I'm not sure whether she heard me or not .

'_Ah , I want Kirigaya-kun to pick me up that way too!'_

_'So bold ! Do you think they're dating?'_

I brush aside some .. _uncomfortable _comments and start walking as quickly as I can outside of the gym . I try to recall where Asuna told me the nurse's office was while power walking my way towards the school building . Soon enough , I'm met with the school's main hallway and I know exactly how to make my way towards the nurse's office as fast as possible .

A bit later , I find the room and go inside , where I'm greeted by Shinomiya-sensei , the school's nurse .

''What happened?'' she asks while looking at Asuna in my arms .

''She was in some sort of accident and hit her head . I think she's lost consciousness''

''Lay her down on the bed for me , will you?''

I do exactly as I'm told and she starts examining what I assume would be her airway , breathing and pulse . After a minute or so , she turns back and speaks .

''She'll be fine , it's just a minor concussion . She should recover in a few hours . I'm certain there won't be any long-term symptoms either . For now , all she needs is to stay put and sleep in order to rest . Her ankle will be fine too , she'll just have a little trouble walking today''

I smile , feeling very relieved that's she going to be okay . Sensei smiles back .

''I didn't catch your name?''

''Oh , um , Kirigaya Kazuto'' I say , as I realize I never introduced myself because I was in a hurry .

''Oh , so you're the new student I heard about . Thank you for bringing her here , Kirigaya-kun'' She says , smiling , as she heads towards the door .

''I'll be leaving her in your hands now , I have some business to attend to . I'm sure there's no need to tell you , but you two shouldn't do anything inappropriate while I'm gone , okay?'' she says while winking at me , making my face fully flushed with red . She laughs at my response as she opens the door and walks off .

I suddenly am very self-conscious of the fact that I'm in a room alone with Asuna , which makes me extremely nervous . I turn around to look back at Asuna's face and my mind races back to earlier today , where she was cupping my cheek and was looking at me intensely .

_D-damn that nurse , putting ideas in my head ! _I quickly try to shake off my weird thoughts and take a seat on the carpeted floor , my back leaning against the bed .

**ASUNA POV**

I slowly open my eyes when I'm met with an unfamiliar ceiling . _Where am I _?

I'm confident that I'm laying on a bed from the heavenly sensation I feel in my back . What happened ? _Oh , that's right _. I was playing basketball . A girl fell on top of me and after that I was unconscious . I look around with my head resting on a pillow and I realize I'm in the nurse's office .

I remember slightly opening my eyes when I was being carried by someone with black hair but my vision wasn't clear . _Wait .. no way , right ?_

I slowly lift my back from the bed , still sitting on it and I scan the room . Sure enough , there _he _is . Kirigaya-kun , sitting on the floor , his eyes closed while his back is leaning against the bed . I'm guessing he's asleep .. How long has been here ? I look at the clock that's placed on the wall . It had been 6 hours since P.E class had started .

_He's actually been here the whole time ? _My chest tightens . I wonder why I'm so emotional when it comes to him ..

I look back at Kirigaya-kun and I stare at his face . I have to admit , he has a really cute sleeping face . He normally seems bold and confident when speaking , but he looks surprisingly naïve now that he's asleep . It makes sense that he's younger .

I study his face and my gaze falls on his lips . Those perfectly-shaped li- _wait , no no no__ \- get a grip on yourself , Asuna ! What the hell are you thinking !? _I feel my face burning from embarrassment at this point .

I don't understand why , but I get a sudden urge to touch him . I slowly crawl towards him , making sure not to wake him up until I'm right behind him . Once I'm close enough , I notice his messy hair and I realize I'd like to find out what it feels like . _A little touch won't hurt , right ? _I take my hand and place it on his hair , slightly ruffling it .

Unfortunately for me , Kirigaya-kun's eyes swing right open and and he jerks his body forward .

My hand , which had been resting on his head falls towards the ground and he looks at me with wide eyes . I slip off the bed and brace myself for the impact .

''Asuna!''

Right as I'm about to hit the floor , Kirigaya-kun manages to swiftly grip onto my wrists and I fall on top of him . I'm currently sitting right above him , his hands gripped onto my wrists and our faces exceedingly close to one another . I'm blushing extremely hard and I'm pretty sure he is too . If he were to release his grip on my wrists , my lips would definitely fall on his .

I can't help but be lost in the moment , wondering what his lips would feel like on mine . I'm slowly inching my face closer while continuing to stare at him , completely dumbfounded by what's happening .

''Are you okay , _Asuna_?'' he says with a husky voice , and I'm able to feel his minty breath on me .

I'm quickly brought back to reality and realize what I'd been doing . I quickly force myself off of him and look away in embarrassment . _Is it just me or is it way too hot in here ?_

''Y-yes , I'm feeling just fine'' I say as I turn and face him , still flushed .

''Really ? That's great'' he says with a smile on his face , genuinely relieved .

My heart starts beating awfully fast .

''K-Kirigaya-kun , thank you''

''What for?'' he asks , seemingly curious .

''Y-you know , carrying me all the way here'' I say , blushing .

''O-Of course , you're always welcome'' He says , slightly embarrassed , with his hand on the back of his neck .

''And , a-also looking after me while I was asleep'' I add , my face probably looking like a tomato by now .

''O-oh , um , don't mention it'' he says , now blushing as well . ''Anyone would do the same'' he quotes me , with a smile on his face , and I can feels my knees weakening from it . ''Do you need any more rest ?'' he asks .

''No , I'm okay . I think I'll head home now , it's getting pretty late''

''Alright , we should go change into our uniforms and pick our stuff up from the classroom''

We both get changed and meet in the classroom to pack our bags and leave . We walk outside of the school building in a comfortable silence until my sprained ankle starts to hurt a little again , making me hiss in pain but I reassure Kirigaya-kun that I can deal with it . He stops to examine it .

''Do you live far away from here , Asuna ? Can you contact anyone to come and pick you up ? It's better not to be walking right now''

''My parents are still at work .. My house is 30 minutes from here , I can walk for that long''

''Hm , it's getting a little dark out . At least let me walk you there''

''I-It's fine , Kirigaya-kun , you've already done plenty , I wouldn't want to bother you anymore'' I say , although in all honesty I would love to spend some more time with him ..

''You're not bothering me one bit , Asuna . I _want _to take you home . Anyhow , I would hate if anything happened to you in your current state'' he answers , making my heart flutter .

''O-Okay..''

We start walking and he matches his pace with mine , since I'm walking a little slower due to my sprained ankle . Butterflies are erupting in my stomach through out the entire way there as I'm lost in thought . I've never felt like this before ..

He seemed different than anyone I've ever met . From the first moment I met him in the hallway , something had welled up inside me that I couldn't quite describe . _I sound really cheesy right now , don't I ?_

But I couldn't help it . Today proved that he was very kind and he was cute on top of it . But it felt like there was more to it , like there was a deeper connection although I couldn't understand why I felt that way . Maybe I was just overthinking it .. but I wondered if , maybe , he felt that way too ..

After around 25 minutes of walking , I stopped because the pain in my ankle was getting worse . I tried to convince Kirigaya-kun that I could keep going .

''No , Asuna , you're not walking anymore'' he says , rather assertively . He then stepped in front of me , turned around and arched his back and extended his hands , motioning me to get on his back so he can give me a piggyback ride .

''Get on''

''B-but , that's a little embarrassing .. You don't have to go out of your way for me this much''

''No complaining , Asuna , get up''

To be honest , I quite liked this forceful side of him . I got on his back and I was surprised my how wide and toned it was . My face was heating up like crazy , which I'm pretty sure he could feel ..

After around 5 more minutes , we reached my neighbourhood .

''That is it'' I say , pointing towards my house which was just around the corner .

''Wow , that's a really nice house'' he says , surprised by its size , as he starts walking towards it .

''Well , thanks , but it doesn't have a very homey atmosphere if I'm being honest'' I say , which was true , because me and my parents weren't with me much because of their strict schedules . My older brother was constantly overseas too .

''I see'' he says , understanding not to press the topic further which I was grateful for .

We reach the entrance of my house , and he carefully lets me down from his back . To be honest , I felt a little regretful that he did . I would stay there much longer if I actually could ..

''I seriously can't thank you enough for today , Kirigaya-kun . For helping me out and bringing me all the way home ..''

''No need to thank me , Asuna . You helped me out as well''

''Well , I don't think showing you around school compares to everything you did for me today .. Your house isn't too far away from here , is it ?''

''No , it's pretty close from here , don't worry'' he says , slightly shifting his head to avoid eye contact .

Something tells me he's not being completely honest but I don't want to doubt him for no reason ..

''Hmm .. Okay . In any case , I really hope I can somehow repay you one day''

He is ready to say something , but hesitates . He takes a deep breath and speaks .

''T-then , do you mind calling me by my first name as well?'' he says , taking me by surprise .

''Of course'' I say with a smile , as I turn around to open my door . ''I'll see you tomorrow , _Kazuto-kun_'' I say , turning around to wave at him .

''See you tomorrow , _Asuna'' _he says , walking away as he waves back with the same perfect smile on his face .

**KIRIGAYA KAZUTO POV **

Throughout the entire way toward Asuna's house , I was daydreaming about the girl walking beside me . She felt so special to me for reasons I didn't understand . Sure , she was _very_ pretty , and she was a real sweetheart on top of it . I'm certain that was part of it .

But there was something there , that I couldn't quite grasp , something that almost compelled me to be protective of her . When she was in pain or having trouble , I couldn't help but feel like I needed to help her .

And back at the nurse's office , it took everything in me to stop myself from pressing my lips on hers . She was just .. addicting .

_What a crazy day it was .._

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**A/N : And there you go ! Hope you enjoyed this chapter !**

**I'd like to take some time to thank those of you who reviewed .**

**reader** : Hello! I just binged the first three chapters and I love it so far. The plot is captivating. I'm pretty excited to read how they fall in love again - I wouldn't be surprised if there's some jealousy/competition with Kirito and Asian being so popular. Hahaha Great chapters so far! I like the mix of POVs from Kirito and Asuna. Although, I honestly think any POV is fine as long as it's consistent throughout the story! Whatever you write in whatever point of view will be awesome :)

**First of all , thank you so much for being the first person to review this story . Sadly , I couldn't PM you because of the use of a guest account . But your review legitimately made my entire day . I'm really glad you're enjoying the story and the plot . Also , you were right about the jealousy as you can tell from this chapter , haha ! I think I'll be taking your advice and stick with this style of POV .**

**cosmicblader12 **: Love this so far! Looking forward to the next chapter!

**I'd like to thank you so much for your review as well , even though I've already PM'd you .**

**Till next time ! -Syth**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N : Thank you so , SO much for all the views , follows/favorites lately ! I'm exceptionally happy this fanfic is well-received by you guys . I'd also like to thank everyone who left a review , your feedback means a lot to me . I have and will continue PMing everyone that leaves a review on this story .**

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**Chapter 4**

**ASUNA POV**

''Asuna , hurry up and get out of bed . Breakfast is ready .''

I open my eyes and stretch my arms .

''Yes , Okaa-san , I'll be right there in a few minutes'' I reply and get up immediately despite being a little tired , as I know my mother doesn't like waiting .

_**(A/N : ****Kaa basically means mum and it's how you usually address your own mum. Adding O- to the beginning makes it more polite and - San is an honorific that is also adding politeness . Asuna addresses her mother that way because of the strict nature of their relationship)**_

I head to the bathroom to brush my teeth and take a quick shower . To be honest , I hadn't gotten much sleep last night . Yesterday's events were still fresh in my memory and managed to bring a slight blush to my cheeks .

I couldn't stop myself from daydreaming about the raven-haired boy that had carried me to the nurse's office while I was unconscious , had watched over me while I was resting , had walked and carried me home and who I had _almost_ accidentally kissed .

As embarrassing as it may be , I couldn't wait to see him and hopefully spend some more time with him again today .

I head to the kitchen to have breakfast , where I'm greeted by my parents . Breakfast is served and I start eating .

''Asuna , how's school going so far ?'' my mom asks with a blank expression on her face .

''It's going really well . The teachers are great and I've made some really good friends .'' I answer . It has been going well , and a smile creeps onto my face when I think of the new boy , Kazuto-kun .

''That's good . I presume you're maintaining good grades and you've been studying well in order to get into Tokyo University.'' She says , with a more serious tone this time , since this is the only thing that essentially matters to her .

''Of course , Okaa-san .'' I say , looking a little gloomy .

After I'm done eating , I grab my bag and head out the door , as I wave goodbye to my parents . I make my way towards school and when I reach the school gate , I'm met with my best friend Lis .

''Good morning , Asuna!'' she says , looking overly-excited for some reason .

''Good morning , Lis . What's up , why are you so energetic?'' I ask curiously .

''Mmmh , I guess you could say I was looking forward to asking you about _somebody_'' she says with a grin on her face and I understand where this is going .

''A-about whom?'' I answer , trying to sound oblivious in order to avoid her teasing , but failing .

''I don't know , the guy that carried you bridal-style to the nurse's office and who apparently looked after you afterwards?'' she says , making my face go completely red from embarrassment .

_H-how does she even know that he looked after me ? If she knew that he took me home , I wouldn't hear the end of it .._

''Did you two perhaps-''

''O-of course not!'' I say , cutting her off because I knew what she was about to ask . ''H-he was just being nice..'' I say , a blush evident on my cheeks .

''A little unusually nice for someone he just met , don't you think ?'' she says winking at me , and my heart flutters at what she's implying . _I hope so .. _''Anyway , I'll be going on ahead because I need to hand in some homework I forgot yesterday . See you in class , Asuna''

''Okay..See you , Lis'' I say , sighing at how forgetful my best friend could be when it came to her homework .

A few seconds later , I hear a voice behind me .

''Good morning , Asuna''

I instantly recognize who the husky voice belonged to and turn around to face Kazuto-kun , who has a smile on his face .

''G-Good morning , _Kazuto-kun_'' I say , still slightly blushing from my conversation with Lis about the raven-haired boy .

''How are you feeling ? Are your foot and head okay ?'' he says with a slight frown appearing on his face , seemingly worried .

''Yes , I'm feeling perfect today . Thank you so much for yesterday , again ..'' I say earnestly .

''No need to thank me . It was my pleasure'' he says , sincerely , his onyx eyes looking into mine , as I'm lost in them for what seemed like hours .

We both snap out of our trance when we realize that the focus of all our surrounding students was us . They were all staring right at us while we were walking towards our classroom .

_'So the rumors were true?'_

_'Yes , I saw him carrying her!'_

_'Do you think they're already dating?'_

By the time we reached our classroom , I had gone completely red from embarrassment and the attention I was receiving . Not to mention all the jealous looks I got from the girls . To be honest , I normally would've been slightly angry at comments about me and someone else dating if we actually weren't . But , in this instance , I .. didn't really mind .

I would never admit it , but I felt a little giddy about people thinking I'm dating Kazuto-kun and a smile crept onto my cheeks .

I turned my head to look up at him walking beside me , wondering what his reaction was to all this . A blush was evident on his cheeks and had a hand in his hair , probably a little uncomfortable from the spotlight . However , he was still wearing his perfect smile , looking genuinely content . It made my heart skip a beat .

''I'm kind of sorry about this , Kazuto-kun . It looks like helping me brought you more unwanted attention..'' I say , feeling a little bad that I've caused him trouble .

''Don't be . There's no reason for you to apologize , Asuna . Besides , I don't mind them talking about us at all'' he says , rendering me speechless as my heart starts beating increasingly fast .

**KIRIGAYA KAZUTO POV**

When I was carrying Asuna yesterday , I had never thought that things would escalate this much ..

While me and Asuna were walking to our classroom , the comments about how I carried her bridal-style or how we had apparently already started dating didn't stop . All the attention we were receiving was draining . The murderous looks I was receiving from many of the guys didn't help either .

But , honestly , I can't deny the fact that I didn't mind people thinking that me and Asuna are dating . I know we had only just met but I couldn't help but find her .. _captivating_ . What's more , the fact that she was smiling despite the slightly messy situation made her all that much more entrancing and brought a smile onto my face as well .

We took our seats as soon as we reached the classroom and Aki-sensei walked in right after us . She starts the lesson and I start paying attention .

When the bell rings , Aki-sensei calls on me .

''Kirigaya-kun , could you come with me for a second ?'' she asks , making me wonder what she could want .

''Of course , Aki-sensei''

As soon as we walk out of the classroom , I speak .

''What do you need ?'' I ask her softly .

''Come with me to the principal's office for a second'' she answers , and I still have no idea what's going on .

We start walking until we're met with the principal's office . As soon as we enter , we're greeted by Kikuoka-san .

''Yo . I've been waiting for you , Kirigaya-kun'' he says , and I could imagine what this probably is about .

''Good morning , Kikuoka-san . I'm guessing this is about the Discipline Committee ?''

''Hm , I guess you could say that'' he answers , confusing me . ''I wanted to privately talk to you about something before that''

''About what , sir ?'' I say , unable to understand why it needed to be in private .

''You see , this is sensitive information so I would like you not to disclose this to anyone else''

''Okay..'' I answer , still having no idea what he could be talking about .

''There's actually been an incident involving two of this school's students . They were badly injured and later hospitalized'' he says , a serious expression on his face .

''I see'' I say , now having an idea what this could be about . ''Was this incident caused by 'red players' ?''

''Most likely'' he says , fixing his glasses . ''They were found knocked out and badly injured in the back of the school yard by one of our teachers . The students don't know about this incident yet , as we'd like to avoid any commotion for now''

_That's why Shinomiya-sensei left the nurse's office .._

''Are they okay?'' I ask .

''It will take some time till they can leave the hospital , but their lives aren't in danger'' he answers .

''Have you asked them who did that to them ?''

''I have , but they do not remember any faces . They were called by someone for help , probably in order to lure them out , and before they knew it they were being beaten up and knocked around'' he says , explaining this awful incident to me .

''Who were the two students ?'' I inquire curiously .

''Their names were Koji and Naoki . The former was a second-year and the latter was a third-year''

''So there was no connection between them ?'' I ask , wondering if they were specifically targeted for any reason .

''That's what I wondered as well so I looked into it . Apparently , the two had something in common''

''What would that be?''

''They were both members of the same guild inside Sword Art Online'' he says , making me gasp in surprise . This cause for this incident was something that happened inside the game . Some sort of grudge I'm guessing ?

''Do you know the name of the guild , Kikuoka-san ?'' I ask , curiously .

''Their name was _The Knights of the Blood Oath_'' he says , matter-of-factly .

My memory suddenly jolts and my head starts to ache , making me kneel in pain .

A vision of a man with long black hair appears in my head , looking at me with a wicked evil grin while he has a blade inside my stomach . He was in that guild .. _Ku-ra ... deel ?_ Kuradeel ! That was his name ! Are my memories coming back ? If so , how am I not dead to his hands ? I can't rememb-

''Are you okay Kirigaya-kun !?''

My thoughts are abruptly cut short from a shouting Aki-sensei and Kikuoka .

''Yes'' I say as I wince in pain , holding my head with my hand . ''Just a little headache'' I continue . ''More importantly , sir , do you know any motive these 'red players' might have for targeting that particular guild ?''

''Unfortunately , we do not know as of yet . We do , however , have a list of the guild's members'' replies Kikuoka-san , now looking straight into my eyes making me tense up . ''With that being said , Kirigaya-kun , would you be willing to join the Discipline Committee ?'' he continues , all while staring at me .

''I .. I don't know yet if-'' I stutter , not yet having made up my mind about this decision .

''Someone you may care about might just be targeted next , you know ?'' he cuts me off , making a valid point .

My mind instantly traces back to a certain chestnut-haired girl . What if _she _were to be targeted ? What if any of my classmates met the same fate as the two kids in the hospital ? I certainly wouldn't like that .

And if anything happened to _Asuna _...

''You're right , sir . I'll be joining the Discipline Committee after all'' I say , clenching my fists .

''A wise decision , Kirigaya-kun . I don't think you'll come to regret it'' he says , with a smirk on his face . ''So , right off the bat , I'd like to inform you of your duties as a member of the Discipline Committee'' he says , making me gulp . ''Obviously , you are to stop any violent acts that may occur inside school grounds , no matter the cause . Use of force is permitted if the situation calls for it . Because this 'job' is potentially dangerous , you're allowed to carry a weapon of your choice on you at all times . You can choose any weapon that is inside the Discipline Committee's club room . Sound good so far ?'' he asks , checking to see if I've managed to follow .

''Yes , sir'' I reply .

''Good . First of all , I'd like you to wear something at all times inside school grounds'' he says , as he stands up from his seat and walks up to a bookshelf . He picks up a piece of cloth that had 'Discipline Committee Member' written on it . ''This is a token of your authority . As long as you're wearing this , the students will not question your right to defuse a violent situation no matter the method'' he states and I wrap the piece of cloth around my arm . ''So , as your very first 'mission' ..'' he says , handing me what seemed like a list .

''And this is ?'' I ask , as I take it into my hands .

''I'd like you to look after the members of The Knights of the Blood Oath . If the two victims were targeted because of they guild they were in , it's highly likely they will come after more of them , wouldn't you agree ? That is a list of every member that attends this school'' he answers .

My attention shifts to the list of members I've just been handed and my eyes scan the names written on it .

Fultz _(Tanaka __Koji__)_

Sanza _(Yamamoto __Naoki__)_

Muldar _(Tanaka __Daiki__)_

Segro _(Watanabe __Hiroki__)_

...

After reading through a bunch of in-game names , and real life names next to them that I didn't recognize , my eyes fell on a very familiar name that I didn't want to see at all .

**Asuna _(Yuuki Asuna)_**

* * *

**A/N : And that's Chapter 4 ! **

**I'd like to apologize for taking a longer time to update than normal , I have been a little busy and I wasn't sure where to end this chapter off either . I thought a slight cliffhanger was appropriate though .**

**I also want to mention that the in-game names of the guild's members are true , but their real life names I just made up :p**

**On a side note , hope you had a great Valentine's day ! Till next time ! -Syth**


End file.
